Bijin

Shin Bijin (1897) by Yōshū Chikanobu

Bijin (美人) is a Japanese term which literally means "a beautiful person"[1] and is synonymous with bijo (美女, "beautiful woman"). Girls are usually called bishōjo (美少女), while men are known as bidanshi (美男子) and boys are bishōnen (美少年). The term originally derives from the Middle Chinese word mijX nyin (美人; modern Standard Chinese měirén), and the word 美人 is used widely in several Asian countries including China, South Korea, North Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam.

  1. ^ Kasschau, Anne; Eguchi, Susumu (1995). Using Japanese Slang: This Japanese Phrasebook, Dictionary and Language Guide Gives You Everything You Need To Speak Like a Native!. Boston: Tuttle Publishing. p. 43. ISBN 9781462910953.